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A Review: CFD Approaches of Plate Heat Exchangers

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Abstract

In this paper, a review of some numerical researches and studies of plate heat exchangers PHEs was carried out according to the methods of computational fluid dynamics CFD. The review includes the most prominent operations of preparing the numerical study such as the calculation domain, methods of forming the computational grid and how to test its independence, the applied boundary conditions, turbulence models used in modelling the flow, the methods used for the solution, and how to validate of the results of the numerical study. New methods that contribute to improving mesh quality have also been reviewed. Recommendations were also made on conducting numerical studies of PHEs.

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Abbreviations

CFD:

Computational fluid dynamics

PHE:

Plate heat exchanger

PHEs:

Plate heat exchangers

b:

Corrugation depth m

Cf :

Friction factor

De :

Equivalent diameter m

Dh :

Hydraulic diameter m

f :

Coefficient of friction

j:

The average Colburn j-factor

K:

Factor equal to (f × Re)

t:

Thickness of plate m

Pc :

Corrugation pitch m

U0 :

The velocity of fluid

uz :

The friction speed m/s

u+ :

The ratio of fluid velocity to velocity of friction

y+ :

A non-dimensional parameter used to determine the distance of the cell center adjacent to the wall from the wall itself.

ϕ:

Surface enlargement factor

Nu:

Nusselt Number

Re:

Reynolds Number

τz :

The wall shear stress N/m2

ρ:

Density kg/m3

ν:

Kinematic viscosity m2/s

SST:

Shear stress transport

LMTD:

Logarithmic mean temperature difference

ε:

Heat exchanger effectiveness

NTU:

Number of transfer units

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by scientific research projects coordination unit at KIRIKKALE University under the Number 2019/062.

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Correspondence to Ahmad Aboul Khail.

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Ahmed Sadik is the second name of the author Ahmad Aboul Khail due to his dual nationality

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Aboul Khail, A., Erişen, A. A Review: CFD Approaches of Plate Heat Exchangers. Arch Computat Methods Eng 30, 1157–1165 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11831-022-09839-z

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